The property developer, who is from France but has lived in London four years, insisted he only hit her in self-defence.

He added: “’I asked her several times to let go of the knife.”

“She was saying that she wanted to kill me. I hit her three times, the first to make her aware I had this bottle in my hand and if she didn’t let go of the knife I could make her.

“I hit her very gently on the top of her head like a slap on the wrist.

“But she was still trying to go for me with the knife.

“I could still feel the strength of her hand trying to go for me, so I hit her straight away a third time.”

Felix Peltier at court for hitting woman in the head with a champagne bottle. Picture: Ed WillcoxSource:Supplied

Ms Asmussen told the court Peltier talked his way into her flat in Knightsbridge, central London, after getting into her cab in September.

She claimed he then asked her to go inside because he needed water and took off his clothes in her bedroom.

The restaurant worker said when Peltier was told to get out he grabbed her around the throat. Prosecutor Peter Walsh said Peltier “began acting crazy” and grabbed an unopened champagne bottle, swinging it twice at Ms Asmussen.

He was stopped by police climbing over a gate nearby, the Old Bailey heard.